# 5. Written Communication

Written communication covers general guidelines for composing content and communicating in written and electronic forms. It covers writing style, persuasion, tone, and general readability. It includes techniques for writing sentences and paragraphs for both print and electronic documents, and in global contexts.

## Reading

| Technical Communication Today          | Technical Communication                     |
| -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------- |
| 12. Strategic Planning, Being Creative | 3. Writing Technical Documents              |
| 13. Persuading Others                  | 8. Communicating Persuasively               |
| 16. Using Plain and Persuasive Style   | 9. Emphasizing Important Information        |
|                                        | 10. Writing Correct and Effective Sentences |

## Learning Objectives

* Explain the guidelines for writing plain sentences and paragraphs.
* Explain when and how to use plain and persuasive styles.
* Explain rhetorical moves for writing content for introductions, body sections, and conclusions.
* Discuss the writing guidelines for social networking sites, blogs, wikis, and other electronic media.

### Recall key terms and facts about composing content and communicating in the written form 

Key facts about writing plain sentences: 

1. The eight guidelines for writing plain sentences 
2. The four types of sentences used in paragraphs 

Key facts about the different writing styles 

1. When it is appropriate to use a plain writing style 
2. When it is appropriate to use a persuasive writing style 
3. The differences between the plain and persuasive writing styles 
4. The four persuasion techniques: 

* Elevate the tone 
* Use similes and analogies 
* Use metaphors 
* Change the pace 

The writing strategies for improving the style and design of websites 

1. The four strategies for improving the writing style on websites and why these are useful: 

* Keep sentences short 
* Keep paragraphs short 
* Links should reflect titles 
* Create a consistent tone 

2\. The writing strategies for improving the readability of websites for global audiences 

### Understand the concepts, strategies, guidelines, and techniques used when composing content and communicating in the written form 

How to use the strategies for writing plain paragraphs: 

1. Using the four types of sentences 
2. Aligning sentence subjects in a paragraph 
3. Using the “given/new” method 

How to use each of the four persuasion techniques: 

1. Elevate the tone 
2. Use Similes and Analogies 
3. Use Metaphor 
4. Change the Pace 


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